1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a transport device for moving semiconductor or other wafers between and among processing stations, and relates more particularly to a wafer transporter that utilizes magnetic levitation to Operatively connect a wafer carrier inside a sealed chamber to a guided transport mechanism on top of the sealed chamber.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Wafer handling in the fabrication of semiconductor devices involves moving a wafer from point A to point B accurately and reliably, and contaminating the wafer as little as possible. Wafers may be handled separately or in cassettes that carry several wafers.
A trend is toward automated wafer handling, in other words, using automated equipment for moving wafers between processing equipment. Automated wafer handling can be done by a robot vehicle that transports cassettes of wafers and transfers cassettes among several pieces of process equipment, or by a transport vehicle that transports cassettes of wafers to cassette transfer robots dedicated to each piece of process equipment, or by a cassette transfer robot between two pieces of process equipment. The robots and/or transport vehicles are operated within clean rooms. One drawback to these devices for automated wafer handling is that the moving mechanisms generate particles within the clean rooms and thereby contaminate the wafers and the clean rooms.